Tuesday, June 6, 2017 - Rememberance

Today is a day of resolve, humility, humbleness, reflection, thankfulness, but most of all its a time for all of us to remember what this day is truly all about -- it's about our freedom, its about sacrifice of those that fought and died so we continue to have that given right.

John and I started planning this trip because of this day - June Sixth.  We hold this day in our hearts because of the ultimate sacrifice those brave men gave 73 years ago today.  To walk on Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach today was humbling to say the least.  To walk among the 9,387 graves at the Normandy American Cemetery was beyond moving and emotional for both of us.  Families gathered around individual graves, individuals reading special words to their fallen loved one, single long-stem roses or bouquets of roses left near the marble cross headstones, rocks or pinecones placed upon the Star of David headstones, Taps being played at the Memorial, listening to the wind crash the ocean waters to Omaha beach below --- it all was taken in with our eyes and emblazoned on our hearts and to have been fortunate to walk among these fallen heroes, well, is a moment in time I will never forget. 

Statute in the memorial

John is gathering sand from Omaha Beach to bring home.

A recitation of the events of June 6, 1944

They go on and on ...

as far as the eye can behold....

"thank you" does not seem enough....

for all you have sacrificed.

Infinity Reflection Pool Memorial at Visitor Center

Winds of Normandy blowing the sands on Omaha Beach

A very angry Atlantic Ocean/English Channel

"Here Rests in Honored Glory

A Comrade in Arms

Known but to God"

German Batteries

at Longues-sur-mer, France.

We found an area where German Batteries were left in place after WWII.  Incredible to see from that point of view.

Pointe du Hoc - Rangers Memorial

Per Wikipedia -  "Pointe du Hoc is a promontory with a 100 ft (30 m) cliff overlooking the English Channel on the coast of Normandy in northern France. During World War II it was the highest point between Utah Beach to the west and Omaha Beach to the east. The German army fortified the area with concrete casemates and gun pits. On D-Day (6 June 1944) the United States Army Ranger Assault Group assaulted and captured Pointe du Hoc after scaling the cliffs."

The following photos show the gullies still remain from Allied bombs.  It's beyond words....

These gullies were all over the place.  Google "aerial of Pointe du Hoc" for the images sometime and you will be amazed at the site.

View from atop of the cliff at Pointe du Hoc

Entrance to the remains of a German bunker.

Chard remains of a ceiling to a German bunker.

One of the memorial plaques to the U.S. Rangers

The point reached by the Rangers.

Thank you for joining us this day.